Gas manufacture



March 14, 1933. G, R. ST EERE 1,900,959

GAS MANUFACTURE Original Filed Sept. 15 1924 9 m 7 "i F "I W W ///7 v /7z INVENTOR George RSfeere l atented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITE STATE T.

GEORGE R. srEERE, 0F LARGHMONT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 sEME'r-soLvAYENGINEERING CORPORATION, OF NEW YoEK, N. Y., A coEroEA'rIoN on NEW GAsMANUFACTURE YORK Original application. filed September 15, 1924, SerialNo. 737,656, and'in Great Britain May 19, 1925. Divided and thisapplication filed February 10, 1931, Serial No. 514,857.

' This application is a divisional of application Serial No. 737,656,filed September 15, 1924. i

It is the customary practice in the manufacture of water gas to use aplant consisting of a generator, and superheater, together with a washbox or seal, through which the gas from the plant passes and whichprevents the return of the gases once they have passed therethrough. h

Until recent years, it has been the practice to pass steam directly intothe-generator at either the bottom or the top thereof when making gas,the'former instance being called an uprun and the latter a downrun. Ithas recently become customary in many plants, however, to pass steamdirectly into the superheater in order to make whatiis called a backrun.It is to this latter type of plant that my invention is directed.

My construction embodies primarily the positioning of single swingingvalve between the port leading from the superheater to the wash box andthe port leading from the gen erator to the Wash box, so that either ofthese ports may be closed by the simple movement of this single valve atthe same time the other portisopened. Myconstruction,furthermore,utilizes a swinging valve operated by the same means which operate thefirst mentioned valve, for directing the passage of steam either throughthe superheater or through the generator. And, further, the blower pipepassageway to the gas plant generator is at certain times utilized as apassageway for steam into the generator, as well as a passageway for gasfrom the generator.

Among the objects of my invention, therefore, are the provision of asingle valve which may be more quickly reversed than two independentvalves, with the consequent reduction in cost because of the smallernumber of valves used, as well as reduction of time required to open andclose the valves; the constant closing of the backrun line except duringthat portion of the cycle when backrun gas is being made with theconsequent prevention of hydrocarbon vapors backing up into the backrunline, condensing out and filling the backrun pipe with. a tarry orpitchy deposit; the elimination of the possibility of one valve stickingor failing to work while another is open; the positive assurance thatsteam will be directed through the port through which it is intended tobe directed because of theconnection of the steam valve with the mainvalve; the reduction in the amount of steam plpe used; the provision ofan open passage throughthe superheater ofitake to the superheater stackcap so as to eliminate any possibility of an explosion during theblowing period because of blowing air directly into the holder thelocating of the main valve directly over the wash box and the supplyingof water leading to the wash box over the V valve constantly so as tokeep it clean; and

the positive closing off of the superheater oiitake with the wash box soas to prevent passage of steam to the wash box during the backrunoperation.

With these, and other objects in view, my invention consists of thearrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of myimproved system as described in the specification claimed in my claimsand shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.v 1 is a side elevation of a gas plant embodied in my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in elevation and partly in section, of the maindouble acting valve utilized in my invention.

Fig. 4 is a section through the Valve housing showing said valveapproximately from the center thereof.

'my invention.

I Suitable connections for the various eleirom'th-e generator tothecarburetor, the conduit 13' leading from the carburetor to thesuperheater andtheoiftake conduit 14 lead- -ments are provided as theconduit 12 leading 65 Water drips from the plates 23 down into the tendsthrough this seat having the head thereof bearing against the inner faceof the yoke.

A pair of separated plates 23. joined together at approximately theircenters by a web having a rounded portion 24, are secured to the yoke byreason of the bolt 22 extending through the rounded portion 24, so astocause one portion thereto to bear in the seat 21 and the other portionthereof to bear in a seat 25 provided on the end of the bolt 22 andsecured in place by the nut 26 on the end of the bolt.

One end of the shaft 19 is provided with a lever 28 connected with ashaft 29. Arms 30 connect the shaft 29 with a hydraulicpiston containedin the cylinder 31.

It will be noted that the aperture through the portion 24 is of largerdiameter at the outer edges thereof than at the center so that the bolt22 bears against the sides of the aperture at substantially one pointonly, thus permitting universal movement of the portion 24 and likewisethe plates 23. The shank of the bolt 22, between the head thereof andthe portion 24, is of smaller diameter than the remainder of the shankso as to provide a shoulder on the bolt bearing against the seat 21 toprevent tightening of the nut 26 to such a degree as to preventuniversal movement of the portion 24. The shaft 19 is so positioned inthe housing 15 that when it is rotated in one direction, one of theplates 23 will engage the mouth of the vertical portion of thepassageway 14 while when the shaft is moved in the opposite'directionthe other plate 23 will engage the face of the horizontal portion of thepassage 17.

For the introduction of steam into the system, I utilize a passage 32,which communicates with the passages 33 and 34, the passage .33 leadinginto the passage 14'and the passage 34 leading into the passage 17. Adouble acting valve is positioned at the junctures of the passages 32,33 and 34 as at 35, and the operation thereof is controlled by means ofa lever 36 attached to the end of the shaft 29.

Positioned in the housing 15 is a ring 37 connected by the passageway 38with a suitable source of. water supply. The ring 37 is perforated and aconstant supply of water is carried therethrough with the result thatthe plates 23 are oonstantlyvbeing supplied with water so as to preventthe collection of foreign matter thereon. The excess wash box 8 so as toconstantly maintain a suflicient supply of Water therein.

The passage 39 is utilized for air blasting, being connected with thegenerator 5 through the passages 18. When the blasting is discontinued,the valve 40 is closed so as to permit the use of the passage 18 forother purposes.

It will thus be seen that in making an up run, steam is passed throughthe passages 32, 34, 17 and 18 into the bottom of the generator andgases are carried from the top of the generator through the passage 12into the carburetor 6, through the passage 13, into the superheater 7,throughthe odtake 14 and through the passage 33 into the oiftake 14 fromwhence it follows through the superheater. 7, the passage 13, thecarburetor 6, the passage 12 and the generator 5 into the passage 18 andthence through the passage 17 1 into the housing 15 and the wash box 8.It

will be noted that the passage 18 bypasses the carburetor andsuperheater, that is to say the passage 18 does not pass through thecarburetor and superheater but conducts the backrun'water gas from thegenerator diif rectly to the Wash box.

It will be noted that with the foregoing construction all of the objectsmentioned are accomplished and a highly eficient gas plant provided.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the arrangement,combination and construction of the various parts of my improved devicewithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is myintention to cover by my claims such changes as may be reasonablyincluded Within the scope thereof.

I claim 1. A water gas set comprising a single gen- I tor into saidwashbox and by-passing the. carburetor and superheater, agas lineleading directly from said superheater into said washbox, and valvemechanlsm for alternatelyopening-one of said lines and substantiallysimultaneously closing the other.

2. A water gas set comprising a single generator, a single carburetorand a single superheater, the individual units being located in separateand detached shells, a washbox, i

a gas line leading directly from said generator into said washbox andby-passing the carburetor and superheater, a gas) line leading directlyfrom said superheater into said 5 washbox, and a single Valve arrangedto alternately open one of said lines and substantially simultaneouslyclose the other.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE R. STEERE

